Sometimes it can be daunting to figure out how to decorate a new space or even refresh a well loved room. New shelves? Containing clutter? Blank walls everywhere? These little tips and tricks will set you on the right path to decorating a space you love.

Use stuff you already have!

That’s right. Round up your treasures. Frame some of those photos held captive on your iPhone. Fill your spaces up with things you already have before you head out to the store.  (sorry!)

The shelves pictured above? I bought very little for them. Most of this stuff I had around or found in boxes in our basement.

Books!  

Stack them up, change the way you have them stacked, make book ends out of stuff you have, and stack objects on them. Books are fantastic for decorating and fantastic to have to grab and read an old favorite. And yes, if you follow the Marie Kondo method, books bring me JOY.  

In the photo above I used a stack of books as a book end to the vertical leaning books. My kids found that really cool seashell at the beach that I used to decorate the top of the stack with. Once I have a the books stacked I layer the decor by putting decorative objects and framed photos in front.

Books don't have to be confined to book shelves. I like to keep a bin of kids’ books near this chair in the living room so they can grab one to read while we are hanging out together. Coffee table books are a great way to style a room as well. My house tends to be little busier, so I opt to keep surfaces like coffee tables clear and ready for use.

Style items in groups of threes

After I posted a tip like this folks have been telling me it’s feng shui or some kind of Japanese decorating rule that you should style in odd numbers. Apparently this conventional wisdom is out there and it took me thirty-something years to figure it out on my own. So I am conveying this to you just in case you are also living under a rock like me.

One thing I have to add is that by grouping in threes you avoid the “lineup” look. Your treasures are not suspects in a criminal investigation.

Use wall space! 

There are a million ways to glam up a wall. Big canvases are cool. Gallery walls are fun. I also love giant mirrors and I am always a sucker for some open shelving.

Mix it up!

Style objects of varying heights, widths, and colors. This gives interest to the area. It does not all have to match. See my photos above. They are pretty eclectic. ​

Or - alternatively -

Style in a mono fashion!

This really gives a more modern look to an area. It’s fresh, clean, and easy on the eyes. It also happens to be styled in a set of three. I was feng shui all these years and I had no clue.

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All the trays

Trays just make things neat.  Stuff all over a table? Add a tray and “the things” are contained. For example, my makeup situation was a mess in the bathroom. Confined to a tray it looks pretty good.

I can’t stand remotes all over the coffee table. They live in the tray. As does a good book!

My kitchen table tray is a little different but it keeps things from migrating all over the table. I like the contrast of the dark table and the white marble. The white marble kind of pulls this dark table into the rest of the white cabinets in the kitchen.

I looooove white marble.

Raid your parents basements! 

Your parents and especially your grandparents probably have boxes of “stuff” that they never look at any more. Trust me there is some really cool stuff in here! Not only is it interesting and totally different than the way things are made today - but it is special because it belonged to someone you love!  

These “scales of justice” belonged to my grandfather. They would look pretentious at my office but they’re perfect next to a scribbly blob painted by a three year old.

I found this silver tray at a garage sale. It was in someone else’s basement! I could probably shine it up if I ever got ambitious. I love these gems. In some of the photos of the shelves you can see a weird silver fish. The fish belonged to my grandmother and the head opens up! It was made to hold cigarettes. It’s unique and unlike anything you would ever find today.

Add some plants and greenery!  

Flowers and plants really liven up a room. Fresh flowers are always a beautiful touch and big leafy green plants add life and color to a room.

Or if you are routinely guilty of planticide like me, just get some faux plants.  I can only keep succulents alive since they only need to be watered like ten times a year. And even so, I still bring them to the brink of death on a regular basis.

These simple tips and tricks are easy ways to implement style into your life. Try a few send me the photos! I love to see what folks are doing!

Enjoy!